By Joe Smith
Colts Well, this weekend starts the drum corps preseason, with corps such as Pioneer having camp. Other corps, including the Bluecoats, Madison Scouts, and others, are headed to Texas for audition camps. Many people will audition and experience drum corps life for a weekend for the first time ever, and others will be returning for another year of an activity we all love.

Joe Smith
Many corps have already released their repertoire to the public and some are still waiting for the right moment to do it. More people seem to be hyping on this preseason that is fast approaching than any other I can remember. I know I'm ready for another amazing season, although I still have four weeks to wait until our first audition camp in December. Banquet for the Colts and Colt Cadets though is next Saturday, while some will be auditioning for corps such as the Cavaliers, Phantom Regiment (good luck Matt Smith), and Santa Clara Vanguard. The off-season for me just seems to be growing longer and longer, and it feels as though it has been an eternity since I have put my uniform on and performed with my family.
Many things have happened in my life during this off-season. I just recently acquired a job at a local McDonald's (we all have to start somewhere). So that will help me pay for this upcoming season and will also help me start to save for my well-anticipated Legacy DVD collection. I have also found a job at a local high school for the fall as a visual tech, which I'm extremely excited about and I can't wait to start. Recently I have also become very interested in the winter guard/indoor percussion realms, and I have even decided that I want to learn to spin and toss the rifle and flag. I'm also hoping to go see "Blast!" next week since it is in town again. This will be the second time I've seen it and I'm very happy that it has come back to the Des Moines, Iowa, area. "Pushing buses makes me furioso" I am looking for alumnus of corps to interview about their drum corps experience and how it still affects them today, please e-mail me at drumcorpsguy04@hotmail.com or instant message me at Trumpetsforever4.